Shaping polyvinylchloride



Patented July 25, 1939 PATENT OFFICE SHAPING POL RIDE Georg Wick, Bitterleld. asslgnor to I.

G. Fsrbenindnstrie Akflengesellschait, Frankiort-on-the-Main, Germany No Drawing. Application November 19, 1986. Se-

rial No. 111,822. In

8 Claims.

1 My present invention relates to a process for shaping polyvinylchloride and more particularly to such a process wherein neither a softening agent nor an antioxidant nor other polyvinyl s esters are added to the polyvinylchlorlde for iacilitating the shaping process.

The shaping of polyvinyichloride, which is obtained in the various processes in the iorm oi, a powder or coarse amorphous masses, into forms 10 such as sheets or the like by pressing has hitherto produced only more or less brittle products of comparatively very small tensile and impact strength, the other mechanical properties of the 1 formed bodies being likewise unsatisfactory. In

18 following the practice for i'orming various other artificial masses, for instance nitrocellulose oi' Celluloid, high pressures have been used in the relative machines, such as callenders or presses.

y It has been usual. however, in respect oi temperago tures, to adopt those which have been common for such machines and not to apply temperatures for shaping the polyvinylchloride in excess 01' those normal in operating on Celluloid which have been selected tor the sake of saiety. Since, moreover,

as the poiyvinylchioride suiiers gradual decomposition with discoloration when heated for a long time at temperatures essentially above 100 6.. particularly ii the product is not of a very high degree 01 purity, a strong prejudice towards the so use of high temperatures has prevailed on this account and, in tact. for industrial use polyvinylchloride is always plasticized by addition or so!- tening agents and similar products. The present invention is based on the observation that a rapid and considerable increase. of temperature above that hitherto regarded as a permissible limit, accompanied by simultaneous application or pressure, leads to a surprising result. when the powdered material, for example, 40 is heated rapidly on a calender at a working temperature of about 150 C. the polyvinylchloride with a degree oi polymerization K= (this K- value being calculated according to the equations given in Celiulose-Chemie, vol. XIII, 1932, page 60, as right column) suii'ers almost suddenly a change progressing through the mass producing a sheet which can be removed from the calender and is transparent and at the same time has a high flexibility and extensibility. sliflicient strength and ,so excellent other mechanical properties. .The phenomena of decomposition are not apparent, notwithstanding the high temperature.

Sheets having the aforesaid properties may be made in the thickness of a few millimeters; thin- I! ner sheets may be made either directly or by lur- Angust 9, 1985 (on. 10-55) ther rolling thicker sheets at temperatures below as well as above the original manufacturing temperature. Sheets o1 this kind may be used in most of the cases in which a flexible transparent toll is required and the material exhibits complete I non-inflammabiiity as compared with other organic artificial materials. The sheets are applicable ior all purposes for which hitherto sheets of plastic material made by ,casting'solutions have been applied, j 1

Furthermore, under the said working conditions polyvinylehloride may be worked up to form commodities of all kinds. In manufacturing bodies of greater volume as, for instance, tubes, the powdery polyvinylchioride is subjected to a pretreatment wherein it is piastifled by heating in a kneading machine or on the calender; whereby simultaneously bubbles of air are removed. The material still hot and viscous, is then brought into the press and shaped to the desired form at a temperature which ior a polyvinylchloride of a degree of polymerization=60 is at about For the shaping operation besides a tube-extrusion-press any other press-mold may be used; the material may likewise be molded by injection molding or pressure casting. a

The temperature at which the shaping is carried out according to the present invention depends upon the degree of polymerization or the polyvinylchloride. The polymerisate of the K value=60 is preferably shaped under pressure at about 150? C. This temperature is to be raised if polymerized vinylchloride of'a higher degree of polymerization is to be worked up. it may be lowered with polymeflsates'having a lower molecular weight. By a simple test in any case the best temperature is easily ascertainable. Since, however, this temperature is near the range of temperature wherein decomposition of the polyvinylchlorlde occurs. shaping should be performed as quickly as possible. In this manner, formed bodies clear as glass. colorless or at most ieebly colored, can be obtained 'l'he articles shaped under the agoresaid conditions have a surprising high tensile and impact strength and a suiiiciert elasticity. By warming to the iostening point a further shaping may be carried-out. A mechanical worldng or fashioning may be carried out at room temperature or at a somewhat higher tem- What I claim is:

1. The, process for shaping crude polyvinylchloride in the absence oi plasticizers and antioxidants which consists in pressing the said mate- -rial' at a temperature above about 40 C. and

approximating that temperature at which said polyvinyl chloride would normally be expected to depolymerize, the temperature being higher the higher the degree of P ymerization.

2. The process for shaping polyvinylchlorideof a degree of polymerization K=about 60 in the absence or plasticizers and antioxidants, which consists in pressing the said material at a temperature 01' about 150 C. and approximating that o temperature at which said polyvinyl chloride .would normally be expected to depolymerize.

merizdtion GEORG WICK.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,167,LLL1.

GEORG WICK It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as followsrPage 1, sec- 0nd column, line J16, for "110 C." read 111.0 0.;

"fostening" read softening; line 55, claim 1, for and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in 'the Patent Office.-

Signed and sealed this 20th day of February, A. B. l9h0.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdale, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

approximating that temperature at which said polyvinyl chloride would normally be expected to depolymerize, the temperature being higher the higher the degree of P ymerization.

2. The process for shaping polyvinylchlorideof a degree of polymerization K=about 60 in the absence or plasticizers and antioxidants, which consists in pressing the said material at a temperature 01' about 150 C. and approximating that o temperature at which said polyvinyl chloride .would normally be expected to depolymerize.

merizdtion GEORG WICK.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,167,LLL1.

GEORG WICK It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as followsrPage 1, sec- 0nd column, line J16, for "110 C." read 111.0 0.;

"fostening" read softening; line 55, claim 1, for and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in 'the Patent Office.-

Signed and sealed this 20th day of February, A. B. l9h0.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdale, Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

